NFL Week 17: How to watch Texans vs. Chargers, Eagles vs. Bills and more games from anywhere


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There are only two weeks left in the regular season, and there is still a lot to be decided. Only the Eagles clinched the division title, leaving the other seven divisions still up for grabs.

The final Wild Card spot in each conference remains undetermined. The Texans have an inside track for the seventh seed in the AFC and could also catch the Jaguars in the AFC South, leaving both the Colts and Ravens clinging to long odds of making the playoffs. In the NFC, the Packers have lost their last two games, keeping alive the Lions’ slim chances of the final playoff spot in the conference.

The weekend slate begins Saturday with the Chargers taking on the Texans at 4:30pm ET (1:30pm PT) on NFL Network, followed by the Packers and Ravens at 8pm ET (5pm PT) on Peacock.

On Sunday, we have the usual lineup of games on CBS and Fox, ending with Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock. Possibly the biggest game on Sunday will be the Eagles and Bills matchup in Buffalo at 4:25pm ET (1:25pm PT) on Fox. The Eagles have already won the NFC East, but the Bills still have a lot to play for as they try to catch up to the Patriots in the AFC East.

If you find yourself less interested in games streaming in your area or your access is blocked due to a website glitch, you have another option to watch another game that doesn’t require a subscription something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus Or search the Internet for an obscure website: you can use a VPN. together VPNYou can watch any of this weekend’s matches from anywhere.

CJ Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans carries the ball during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on December 07, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are on a seven-game winning streak heading into their game Saturday in Los Angeles against the Chargers.

David Yulett/Getty Images

How to watch NFL Week 17 from anywhere with a VPN

If you find yourself unable to watch this weekend’s matches locally due to… Incorrectly applied dimming restrictionsyou may need a different way to watch. This is where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to prevent your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic. Plus, it’s a great idea when you’re traveling and find yourself needing to connect to a public Wi-Fi network, as you’ll want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you can physically change your location on your phone, tablet, or laptop to access the game. So, if your ISP or mobile carrier gives you an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct this problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout zone. Most VPNs, like ours Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPNmake it very easy to do.


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Using a VPN to watch or stream sporting events is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should make sure your VPN is set up properly to prevent leaks. Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems circumventing properly enforced blackout restrictions.

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Plan to watch football on the weekend

Two matches will be played on Saturday this week. The first game will be broadcast nationally on NFL Network, and the second game will stream exclusively on Peacock.

NFL Week 17 schedule on Saturday

The away team Home team Time (all times are Eastern Time) TV streaming service/TV channel
houston texas Los Angeles Chargers 4:30 pm NFL Network
Baltimore Ravens Green Bay Packers 8 pm peacock

Sunday will feature seven games, starting at 1pm ET (10am PT), on CBS and Fox, followed by two games in the late window, before we then get to Sunday night’s game on NBC and Peacock.

NFL Week 17 schedule Sunday

The away team Home team Time (all times are Eastern Time) TV channel Streaming service
Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns 1 pm CBS Paramount Plus
New Orleans Saints Tennessee Titans 1 pm CBS Paramount Plus
Seattle Seahawks Carolina Panthers 1 pm CBS Paramount Plus
Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts 1 pm Fox Fox One
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Miami Dolphins 1 pm Fox Fox One
New England Patriots New York Jets 1 pm Fox Fox One
Arizona Cardinals Cincinnati Bengals 1 pm Fox Fox One
New York Giants las vegas raiders 4:05 pm CBS Paramount Plus
Philadelphia Eagles Buffalo Bills 4:25 pm Fox Fox One
Chicago Bears San Francisco 49ers 8:20 pm nbc peacock

How to watch NFL Week 17 in the US

If you don’t want to subscribe to a live TV service, you can watch CBS games with Paramount Plus, Fox games with Fox One, and NBC games with Peacock.

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Football fans can stream CBS’ Sunday afternoon football schedule each week of the season on Paramount Plus with the $8-per-month Essentials tier. You can check for yourself if your area has CBS live here.

Read our Paramount Plus review.

Fox

Fox’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service It costs $20 a month or $200 a year and allows NFL fans to watch their local games on Sunday afternoons on Fox. You’ll also have access to the full Fox TV lineup, including sports-related channels like Fox Sports, B1G, FS1, FS2, and local Fox stations.

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With Peacock’s $11-per-month premium plan, you can watch Packers-Ravens on Saturday night and Bears-49ers on Sunday night, plus the rest of NBC’s Sunday Night Football schedule. Read Peacock’s review.

The best live TV services for NFL fans

While subscriptions to Paramount Plus, Fox One and Peacock are cheaper than the live TV streaming service, the advantage of the latter is the ability to quickly switch between CBS and Fox on Sunday afternoon when two games are playing at the same time. Turning off one streaming service and turning on another is so much slower and more annoying, that it’s not worth switching to the other game during a commercial break for the game you’re watching.

The good news for soccer fans is that CBS and Fox are available on most channels Live TV servicesalong with NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network for international SNF, MNF and NFL games.

DirectTV

MySports plan from DirecTV It costs $70 per month and includes ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and NFL Network, which are the main channels you need to watch NFL games on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays of every week of the season. You can’t get the RedZone add-on with the MySports plan; You’ll need to subscribe to the full package for $85 per month, then add RedZone for an additional $15 per month.

You can use DirecTV Channel search tool To find out the local channels available where you live. Read our DirecTV review.

Sarah Tew/CNET

YouTube TV carries all the channels needed to watch the NFL and costs $83 per month, and you can add RedZone for an additional $11 per month.

YouTube TV is also the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket. But note that the Sunday Pass does not include local games. You can only watch Sunday afternoon games that are not broadcast on CBS or Fox in your area. If you want to watch all the football games on Sunday, you’ll need a Sunday Pass as well as a YouTube TV subscription. (Or you can just get a Sunday ticket and then use an antenna for local games.)

Connect your YouTube TV zip code Welcome page To know the local networks available in your area.

Fubo

Fubo’s main package costs $85 per month and includes ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and NFL Network. You can also add RedZone for an additional $11 per month.

Fubo should do it New skinny pack Includes most of the channels you need for the NFL. The new Fubo Sports plan costs $56 per month ($46 for the first month) and includes all the above channels except NBC for Sunday Night Football. It also includes access to ESPN’s new streaming app. It is worth noting that the package is only available in certain regions at the moment, with a gradual rollout across the country.

Click here Find out what local channels you get in your area with Fubo. Read our Fubo review.

All of the live TV services mentioned above allow you to cancel at any time. It requires a strong internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our Live TV services guide.

Quick tips for streaming the NFL using a VPN

  • With four variables at play — ISP, browser, video streaming provider, and VPN — experience and success may vary.
  • If you don’t see your desired location as ExpressVPN’s default option, try using the “Search for a city or country” option.
  • If you’re having trouble accessing the game after you turn on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing region, you can try two quick solutions. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure that the address registered for the account is within the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs, like Roku, don’t have VPN apps that you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll need to install a VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device connected to its Wi-Fi network will now appear in the correct viewing location.
  • All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing a VPN on your router. In some cases with Smart TV Services, after installing the cable network’s sports app, you will be asked to verify a digital code or click on a link sent to the email address on file for your Smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router can also come in handy, as both devices will appear in the correct location.
  • And remember, browsers can often reveal location despite using a VPN, so make sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to sign in to your services. We usually recommend brave.



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